What software can learn from construction

There’s two types on analogies about software: ones that compare it to building a house/bridge/some other physical object and those that don’t.

One camp eople say software can’t be managed like a building because it changes midway through. The argument goes software is different because your 1-story building plan wouldn’t studdenly get requirement to become a skyscraper while and keeping your deadline and budget commitments. The other camp says, well, software is like a building.

No matter the side, there’s a lot we can learn about managing software projects from constructing buildings, specifically with their Building Information Systems (BIM). BIMs give all parties involved in constructing a building a single place to collaborate and share information. The plumber laying pipe can see where electrical is planning to run their wires before they run into conflicts. Information sharing across concerns helps them catch problems before they exist.

After construction is finished, this information can be turned over to the management company, who can then use it for maintenance, planning, and upkeep. The entire history of the building, from plans to the make, model, and specs of lightbulbs in the janitors closest, all in a single location.

In software today we usually manage our projects a lot more haphazardly in 2 week increments. Specs, if they’re written down formally are maybe in a wiki. This in turn which is organized differently for each product, making finding information harder. Finer details are lost in email, tickets, and a bunch of other tools dujour.

An all too common scenerio may be when a designer attach their designs to a ticket to pass it off to development. While implementing the design their’s an bit that too ambitious. The designer and developer work together and find a compromise so they can continue to make progress. Howver, this compromise is agreed upon on Slack and rarely makes it back to be reflected in the designs. Time passes, people move on, and nobody knows why that screen doesn’t match the designs on file.

There must be a better way.

Kwoosh is your software’s fountain of knowledge. A single place to track everything about it in one location.